HOLY THURSDAY

The title of my reflection  is, “Holy Thursday.”

We priests and lots of other people are probably wondering if the dramatic and devastating fire in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris  - will bring even more people to Holy Week and Easter services and liturgies this week around the world.

This morning I’d like to reflect out loud on a few possible reflections for Holy Thursday - and its meanings.

Holy Thursday we celebrate Christ gathering with his disciples for the Passover Meal.  It’s the last meal Christ has with his disciples before he passes over from this life to the next.

What are the last words we want to say to those we love and those whom we have spent our life with?  As priest I’ve heard a lot of those words at bedsides with dying people.  If you want to hear the last words of Jesus, read the Last Supper words of Jesus around the table - especially in the Gospel of John.

Continue this week with his words in the garden - Could you not stay awake with me for 1 hour? Continue this week with his words from the cross on Good Friday.

Today reflect on all the care those we know and love gave to us and we to them.  At the Last Supper Jesus washed his disciples’ feet. At the service tonight our pastor and thousands and thousands  of priests around the world will wash the feet of Christ’s disciples.  Reflect also  on all those in hospitals and nursing homes - and everyday homes who care for those who are sick - for those who are dying - as well as babies and those who need care and daily washing.

Today we reflect upon bread and wine - the Mass - the Meal - and all the tables of the world - where and when people feed each other.  We reflect upon all the love and all the work and all the effort that goes into a meal. The shopping, the preparing, the cooking and the cutting - paid for by the workers of the world.

We pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.”

We pray for those out of work.

We reflect on the meaning of food.  Farmers, manufactures,  truck drivers, time for wheat to grow in our fields and wine in our vineyards.  The poetry and the mystery of animals - lambs - including the Pascal Lamb - dying to give us life and nourishment.

Today - Holy Thursday - we also  think about priests and the need for priests that parents and siblings and parishioners to encourage priests.

Good stuff to think about.

So we need churches like those recently torched in Louisiana - as well as Notre Dame - as well as this church building and St. John Neumann - for people to come and pray and be reflective - like us this morning and this evening - and many more mornings and evenings in our lives. Amen.